“Identity confirmed.”
The Imperial Academy, being the cradle of talents that will lead the future, was equipped with a meticulous security system.
A protective barrier was operational 24/7 to prevent external attacks or terror, and there were no magic teleportation circles inside to block the entry of suspicious individuals.
Because of this, I had to use the dedicated teleportation circle set up outside the academy for commuting, which was conveniently close, lessening the hassle.
Of course, some people found it troublesome enough to live within the academy itself.
I, Rupert, absolutely didn’t want to create a situation that forced me to live inside the academy.
First off, I wanted to minimize the time spent in a place that felt like a ticking time bomb where incidents could explode at any moment, and most importantly,
“Hurry up! Aida is hungry!!!”
I felt uneasy about leaving Aida, who seemed to be waiting at the mansion’s door for my return.
Sure, Count Bradley was there, and there was a Maid to take care of her and Sena to play with, but still, Aida sought me the most.
She eagerly jumped up and down when I returned home from work.
In Aida’s hand was a long stick she had picked up somewhere.
“Where did you find that?”
Recently, I had been cautious and kept Aida from going outside due to the appearance of a Dark Wizard in the territory.
However, since I had taken a position as a new professor at the academy, leaving Aida alone during my absence felt too sad, so I had reluctantly allowed her outside again.
The royal personnel had thoroughly investigated the Somerset Territory and confirmed there were no remaining dangers, so it was possible.
“Aida, what on earth is that?”
“This is Aida’s treasure.”
Even though that long stick looked like a burden to hold with just one hand, Aida clutched my hand tightly with one and waved that stick around like it was truly a treasure, her other hand firmly gripping it.
Even at dinner, she insisted on holding that stick in one hand while eating with the other, and when I tried to take it away, she exclaimed,
“No way!!!”
With a horrified expression, Aida stared at me trying to take the stick away.
In the end, both the count and I had no choice but to give up.
After dinner, Aida flitted around the mansion, swinging that stick around with her tiny frame, seeming so thrilled.
“What is it that you’re cherishing so much?”
“I think the neighborhood kid found it and wanted it.”
I learned the details of the incident from Kroon, whom I encountered in the Workshop.
It turned out a kid from the neighborhood had found a stick and, fascinated by it, was desperate to have it.
“Did she really snatch it?”
“No, she came to ask me to make a Pinocchio figure for her. Seems like they swapped it for that.”
I couldn’t help but laugh at how absurd it was. A Pinocchio figure crafted by Kroon was a rare item that hadn’t even been released yet; it would fetch a high price at auction.
And yet, Aida had bartered that for a stick.
She was undoubtedly a true alchemist.
(TN: Equivalent exchange lol)
“By the way, I’ve been researching this thing called film, but it’s really hard.”
“Take your time. I didn’t think it would be easy anyway.”
“It seems alchemists have some grasp of the chemical substances you mentioned… but where on earth am I supposed to get this gelatin element?”
What puzzled Kroon wasn’t complicated chemical formulas or manufacturing processes.
“Isn’t gelatin extractable from pigs?”
I asked back as if that shouldn’t be a problem. After all, gelatin naturally existed in this world, so I thought it would be an easily solved matter.
“The amount of gelatin you can get that way is too little.”
Hearing Kroon’s response made me realize I had overlooked that aspect.
For the animation business I wanted to kick off, I needed a large quantity of film, and the gelatin needed for that couldn’t be sourced sufficiently from nature.
The easiest method would be to extract it from pig skins, but using pigs we wouldn’t even eat just for gelatin would be inefficient.
It wasn’t easy to purchase that many pigs either.
The completion of the film would play a crucial role in both my animation and comic book business, so I couldn’t help but worry.
Until now, I had to work on background lines and emotional expressions manually, but once the film was developed…
I could use screen tones essential in modern comics, significantly reducing the workload.
Despite discussing further with Kroon, there was little progress, so I decided to trust him and headed to my workshop on the third floor.
Even though it was already evening, Saint and Sena were diligently drawing something.
“Saint, you’re still here? Sena, why haven’t you left yet?”
“Uh… oh, is it already that time? Haha.”
“I-I was just about to leave!”
Both of them jumped at my arrival like they were caught doing something naughty and hid what was on the desk.
Having gone through recent crises affecting my survival, my intuition and sense had heightened, so I couldn’t possibly miss their unnatural behavior.
I quickly approached their desks to uncover what they were hiding.
They reached out in haste to stop me, but my hands moved slightly faster.
“Storyboards?”
What I found were the comic storyboards that Saint and Sena had been sketching during my absence.
“Why were you hiding this?”
“Well… it’s not finished yet, and…”
Saint and Sena stammered shyly in response to my question.
I understood their feelings well. Usually, when you’re first creating a work, you’re filled with motivation and passion and working on it is quite enjoyable.
But when it comes to presenting it to others, it feels as if you’re awaiting execution.
Thoughts like, “Why didn’t I pay more attention to this part?” start to invade, from overall issues to minor mistakes.
I fully realized how it felt when what I thought was entertaining turned out to elicit indifference from others; it literally tears the mental fabric apart.
Saint, being a renowned painter, likely felt even more pressure as it was his first challenge as a comic artist.
For Sena, it felt like her first work too, and she must have been frightened of others’ evaluations, something I understood better than anyone.
However, a work comes to completion only when it’s shown to others.
“Works are not just the property of the creator.”
No matter how much of a masterpiece or how timeless a classic it is, it can’t become a work just by being tucked away in a desk drawer.
If one is to become a creator, everyone must go through this process, and I wanted to be their first reader.
Though I couldn’t fully critique them from a reader’s perspective, I knew more about comics in this world than anyone else.
I was the perfect candidate to differentiate criticism from genuine feedback.
As I read through their scripts one by one, both Saint and Sena held their breath, anxiously watching me.
Yet, my expression remained unchanged, focusing solely on the storyboards, which only heightened their underlying tension.
“Oh! That’s my standout scene! Why no reaction…?”
“I think he just frowned a little… Is something bothering him?”
They were placing deep meaning on each of my actions, more focused than when creating their work.
Finally, as I reached the end of their storyboards, they held their breath, eagerly waiting for my reaction.
“It’s amazing!”
The response that returned was an expression I had never heard before.
“Are true geniuses really people like this?”
I was genuinely in awe.
Saint, known as the greatest painter of the empire, obviously possessed exceptional talent, but I had my concerns.
The talent for painting and the talent for comic storytelling differ in many aspects, which worried me.
However, the story was so enjoyable and impressive that those worries dissipated in an instant.
“The process of a mechanical being becoming human is depicted.”
This was not just ahead of the times; it was a work ahead of the world.
A theme typically found in modern Earth comics.
It was easy to recognize that it was influenced by Pinocchio.
However, while Pinocchio depicted the process of becoming human through themes like sacrifice and courage, which could be considered typical for a fairy tale, Saint was exploring a more sophisticated discourse.
“That’s why it feels a little heavy for a comic.”
While there are heavy comics, those are often very niche in nature.
Considering that the comic genre is deeply rooted even on Earth, it would be advisable to lighten this aspect a bit.
And as for Sena’s work…
“This is totally Sleeping Beauty!”
It was a fairy tale comic featuring a princess trapped in eternal sleep due to a witch’s curse.
Of course, there were slight differences in the details, but the core theme was strikingly similar, leaving me unable to hide my astonishment throughout.
“Wait a minute, Sena’s favorite fairy tale book was Snow White, right?”
Just like Saint, it felt evident that Sena had also been heavily influenced by Snow White.
In reality, fairy tales exist as a genre of books worldwide in modern times.
Yet, if you look closely, you can see similar fairy tales present.
For example, the Western tale of Cinderella and the Korean tale of Kongjwi and Patjwi share many similarities.
From the theme of right and wrong being rewarded or punished to the concept of a single shoe changing one’s fate.
While reading their original versions, which could be incredibly gruesome, it’s evident that people’s feelings about them differ greatly.
“Both of you are really amazing. Honestly, it’s good enough to publish just like this.”
– Though, I guess it should be tweaked a bit here and there.
As I praised them, beaming with joy, Saint and Sena faced each other with vivid smiles as if the tension had vanished.
I wasn’t just spewing empty compliments to elevate their spirits.
I genuinely felt filled with a desire to showcase both works to people in this world.
“Should I publish this separately? No, then…”
After releasing the fairy tale book and comic book, stories began surfacing elsewhere, but most often they vanished without a trace.
It wasn’t about the lack of fun; the phenomenon occurred because everyone sought my creations.
I couldn’t dismiss the possibility that, if I released their works independently, something similar might happen.
The importance of name recognition couldn’t be overlooked.
Suddenly, a brilliant idea struck me.
“A magazine!”
Comic magazines existed in powerhouse countries like the US and Japan, and at one point, Korea had them too, making it a perfect vessel to showcase their works to the world.
If I, along with Saint and Sena, published our creations not as standalone volumes but serialized in a magazine…
I was certain it would garner enough buzz while allowing their works to shine.
“However, three works alone wouldn’t suffice. I need at least five.”
Though it might be unreasonable to expect ten plus stories like Earth’s comic magazines, a minimum of five works was necessary for feasible magazine serialization.
My contemplation deepened.
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